Portable coin holder and ejector



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0: FORBES. PORTABLE 00m HOLDER AND EJEGTOR.

No. 508,101. Patented Nov. 7 1893.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shed 2.

G.PORBES.

PORTABLE 00m HOLDER AND EJEGTOR. I

Patented- Nov. 7, 1893.

kw kw RN kw. i

m: NAYIONAI. ungoemmma COMPANY,

wAanmm'oN D c UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES FORBES, OF ROCHESTER, NEIV YORK.

PORTABLE COlN HOLDER AND EJECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,101, dated November '7, 1893. Applicationfiled May 8,1893. Serial No.4.-73.335. (No model.)

To 60% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES FORBES, a citizen of the United States of America,and a resident of Rochester, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Portable Change-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to change-holders for use by street-car'conductors and other fare collectors; and it consists in a novel device of this description having a lune-shaped body provided with vertical coin-cells and means for projecting the coins individually from its convex outer side, together with vide for so attaching the change-holder to the person as to prevent its displacement; third, to render the change-holder as compact as possible; fourth, to prevent the escape of the coins while theej ectors are retracted; fifth, to retain the ejected coins until they are withdrawn between finger and thumb as above; sixth,'to render the ejectors self-protected against breaking strains; seventh, to actuate them by compact finger-levers integral therewith; eighth, to stop the ejectors at their respective limits of movement by means of the plate which supports the piles of coin; ninth, to combine torsional retracting-springs with the several ejectors in a simple and cffective manner.

Two sheets of drawings accompany this specification as part thereof.

. Figure 1 of these drawings is a top view of the change-holdercomplete, showing a coin as projected therefrom by one of its ejectors. Fig. 2 is a top view of the wooden body-block ofthe change-holder. Figs. 3 and 4 are bottom and edge views of one of its ejectors detached. Fig. 5 represents a vertical cross- Beneath a suitable cover C, indicating thecontents as in Fig. 1, there is a body-block B, Fig. 2, preferably .of light wood, having a series of vertical coin-cells 10 loosely fitted to coinsof the denominations commonly used or required for change; and to the bottom of this block a metallic plate A Figs. 5 to 7, is attached by means of screws 11, said plate carrying, conveniently, the whole of the ejecting devices, as in Fig. 7.

The body of the change-holder, formed principally by said body-block B, is lune shaped in plan, and preferably tapers in width from end to end, so as to be as light and compact as practicable; the cells 10 being correspondingly arranged according to diameter, with the largest cell at the wider end of the body-block, which in the example is at the rear end of the change-holder.

A pair of eye-screws 12, at the ends of the change-holder, provide for suspending it by a strap across the right shoulder of the wearer. A flat hook D, fixedly attached at its front end, and conformed to its concave inner side as in Fig. 1, is intended to engage with the front opening of the wearers coat or vest immediately above the lower line of the vest, so as to properly locate the change-holder at the left side of the person in order that the ejectors E may be conveniently manipulated by means of the left hand. The ejectors proper, marked E, are horizontallyswingin g flat plates corresponding respectively with the thickness of the particular coins with which they are respectively to coact, (see Fig. 7,) and notched to fit such particular coins as in Fig. 5; their notches coinciding with the respective cells 10 when the ejectors are retracted or in normal position. The cells and the lowermost coins within them are represented in common by the large circles in Fig. 6, completed by the dotted arcs at 10, which are struck from the centers of the notches of the retracted ejectors. Each of the ejectors, one of which is shown detached by Figs. 3 and 4 as aforesaid, comprises a rigid thumb 14, an elastic finger 15 opposed to said thumb, and preferably a rigid supporting finger 16 behind the latter; said elastic finger being in this case conveniently formed by a saw-kerf so as to be integral with the remainder of the ejector. The ejector shown at the left ,in Fig. 6 has instead an elastic finger 15 of spring metal inserted in akerf in the ejectorplate. The distance between the extremity of the elastic finger 15 and that of the thumb 14-is less than the diameter of the coin which the ejector coacts with, so that when the coin is-projected, as in Figs. 1 or 6, it will not be thrownout of the change-holder, but will be retained so as to be grasped between the thumb-and the forefinger of the hand which actuates the ejector. For so actuating each of the ejectors E a finger-lever 17, integral therewith, and rebent so as to work beneath thebottom-plate A, is the preferred means. Such a finger-lever is adapted to be actuated by the middle finger of the hand which grasps t-he projected coins; and the lever terminates for this purpose in a concave extremity of sufficient depth. (See Figs. 5 and 7.) The bend1'8, Figs. 3 to 6, which unites the fingerleve'rwith the thumb of the ejector, coacts- A, so that the latter stops all the ejectors in theirnormal or retracted positions, and also when they are projected, as illustrated by Fig. 6. A A rearward projection 29, Figs. 3 and 6; in the plane of the ejector proper, and flush with its upper surface, supports the coins above when the lowermost coin of a pile is so projected and withdrawn, as at the left in Fig.- 6', so that there can be no tilting of the next to the lowermost coin, nor any obstruction of the free return of the ejector. The ejectors E are pivoted by means of vertical posts 19, rigidly attached to the bottom-plate A,=and are retracted by means of torsional spiral springs 20, which conveniently embrace said posts, the upper end of each spring being held within a notch 21 at the upper end of the post, while its lower end coacts with a hole 22, Figs. 3 or 6, in the ejector.- For the reception of said posts and springs, the body-block B is provided with vertical bores 23, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and one of them in the plane of section in Fig. 5; and the horizontal plate-portions of the ejectors are accommodated within a shallowrecess 24, Figs. band 6, at the bottom of the body-block; said'recess forming at the convcx outer side of the change-holder its discharge-opening, which is closed to a sufiicient extent against the accidental escape of the coins by said thumbs '14 of the retracted ejectors;

To provide for inserting like coins-into the respective coin cells without opening the change-holder, the cover 0 is provided with slots 25'suitably inclined, and the top of the cover is provided with a flange or bead 26, which facilitates finding the slots, being located immediately behind the same. The cover may be furthermore provided with attaching hinges 27 and fastening devices 28 as in Figs. 1 and 5, or it may be simplyattached by screws or otherwise in any approved way. The exterior of the change-holder as above described may likewise be covered or not as may be preferred. The change-holder may be adapted to be carried at the right side or in front (so as to be right-handed or accessible to both hands) instead of at the left side; the number and arrangement of the coincells and ejectors may-be made toconform to any preferred assortment andarrangement of coins; and other like modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described the said changeholder, I claim as my'invention and desire to patent under this specification- 1. A portable change-holder having a luneshaped body, provided with means for attaching the same to the person, and comprising an index cover havinga series of coin-admitting slots, a body-block having vertical'coincells beneath said slots respectively, and a bottom-plate which supportsthe piles ofcoins together with ejecting devices which eject the coins individually at the convex outer side of saidlune-shaped body, substantially as hereinbeforespecified.

2. In a portable change-holder, a luneshaped body having vertical coin-cells and means for ejecting the coins therefrom at its convex outer side, and provided withmeans for attaching the change-holder to the side of the person, including a flat hook at its front end conformed to its concave inner side, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

3. In a portable change -holder, a luneshaped body tapering in width from end to end and provided with a correspondingly graduated series of vertical cells for coins of different sizes, a bottom-plate which supports the piles of coins, and horizontally swinging coin-ejectors, supported by said bottom-plate, corresponding in thickness with the respective coins, and serving toproject the coins individually at the convex outer side of said lune-shaped body, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

4. In a portable change-holder having vertical coin-cells, a horizontally swinging ejector, at the bottom of eachcell, having a coine ecting finger, and a rigid thumb, in the same plane as said finger which precludes the accidental escape of the lowermost coin through the discharge-opening when the ejector is in its retracted position, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

5. In a portable change-holder havingvertical coin-cells, a horizontally swinging ejector, at thebottom of each cell, having a rigid thumb and an-opposing elastic finger with an opening between their extremities of less width than the diameter of the coin, whereby the premature escape of the ejected coin tical coin-cells, a horizontally swinging ejector, at the bottom of each cell, having a rigid thumb, an opposing elastic finger integral with the body of the plate, and a rigid supporting finger behind the latter, in one and the same plane, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

7. In a portable change-holder having vertical coin-cells, a horizontally swinging ejector, at the bottom of each cell, having a rebent actuating lever integral therewith, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

8. In a portable change-holder having vertical coin-cells, a horizontally swinging ejector, at the bottom of each cell, having a rebent actuating lever integral therewith, in combination with a bottom-plate upon which said ejector excepting said lever is superposed, and which coacts with the bend betweenthe body of the ejector and said lever to stop the ejector at the respective limits of its movements, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

9. In a portable change-holder having a series'of vertical coin-cells, thebottom-plate A, provided with the rigidly attached posts 19 having notched upper ends, in combination with torsional springs 20 surrounding said posts, and with the horizontally-swinging coin-ejectors E pivoted on said posts and provided with coin-retaining thumbs 14, coinejecting fingers 15, and rearward projections 29 for supporting the coins above when the lowermost coins are projected and withdrawn, said thumbs, fingers and rearward projections being supported beneath by said plate, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

CHARLES FORBES. Witnesses: VICTOR E. FORBES,

JOSEPH S. PRATT. 

